Merlot
Saturated plum with warm sophisticated energy
Merlot is a saturated, deep shade with strong plum undertones that lean warm. As a dark, moody hue, #730039 functions best as a bold accent or a sophisticated background color. It pairs surprisingly well with muted gold or soft cream, which highlight its richness. Because white text creates a high-contrast 11.7:1 ratio against this hex code, it remains readable even in smaller font sizes.
About Merlot
Red wine in a dim dining room
What does merlot mean?
Merlot often calls to mind red wine, ripe plums, velvet curtains, and quiet evenings indoors. Its deep, dim tone reads mellow and enclosed, like a room where the lamps stay low.
Where you see merlot
- red wine in a glass
- ripe plums
- beet slices
- velvet armchairs
- dark roses
- cherry cordial
What it works for
Use it for restaurant branding, wine labels, velvet upholstery, and packaging that wants a rich, grown-up mood.
What colors go with merlot?
Sage #9caf88The muted green cools the wine tone and keeps the pair soft instead of heavy.Blush #de5d83The pale pink lightens this dark shade and brings out its pink side.Mustard #ffdb58The warm yellow cuts through the dark red and adds a sharp, lively edge.Charcoal #36454fThe near-black gray deepens the mood without competing for attention.Cream #fffdd0The warm off-white gives this dim color room to breathe on the page.Terracotta #e2725bBoth colors share warm red undertones, so the pair feels earthy and tied together.
Questions about Merlot
What is the hex code for Merlot?
Merlot is #730039. In RGB that is rgb(115, 0, 57), in HSL hsl(330, 100%, 23%) and in CMYK 0%, 100%, 50%, 55%.
Is Merlot readable on white or black?
Merlot has a 11.74:1 contrast ratio on white and 1.78:1 on black. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, so on white it works for body text and on black it is too faint for text. Try other pairs in the contrast checker.